FWIWOriginally Posted by Evil_Ed
I bought a P239 in 357 Sig, and one in .40 S&W. They both have the same sights, marked M13 AM both front and rear. I switched the 357 Sig to .40 with a new Sig factory barrel and .40 magazines (something unique to the P239, P229 mags work with both 357 Sig and .40 and are marked as such). Both P239's in .40 shoot to POA. Maybe it's different with the P229?
I had an early 1990's vintage P229 in .40S&W with a Barsto 9mm conversion barrel fitted by Grayguns.
POI was the same for the 9mm conversion as with the stock .40S&W barrel. Reliability was very good but not quite as good as stock. Occasional failures to extract with certain ammo brands. Grayguns offered some additional modifications to improve reliability with the conversion but I did not bother since I did not carry with the conversion.
Darn, I sure miss that gun but it did go to a good home.
I think the P229 in .40/357 always had the "E2" sized frame with the larger magwell and only in the last decade or so did they upsize the P229 9mm versions to the E2 frame.
Mine is also a .40, and has both .357 and .40 factory barrels.
My conversion barrel is a less expensive IEK Firedragon, I swap out to the (white paint) 9mm recoil spring and use the wider 9mm E2 mags, although the original P228/229 narrower pre-E2 9mm mags will usually lock in and run in mine. I will not carry the gun in 9mm with this conversion but it works well enough with practice ammo. I installed a set of Trijicon HD's and they seem to work ok with every caliber although 9mm is about an inch or so off at 15 yards.
When I used to travel on longer trips with the gun I carried all three barrels and the conversion accessories telling myself if I ran out of .357 Sig, I could run whatever ammo I eventually found to purchase in case of an emergency.
I am most partial to this gun in .357 and it is a very good .40 as well. I have gone back and forth with the DAK and the conventional SA/DA parts, not a really hard swap since my later model frame is compatible with both.
I hope you enjoy the project!
Project is moving along slowly but surely. Got off the phone with Robert and he said the barsto barrels are good to go and won't effect reliability. He said get that or a 9mm top end.
-1’s only exist in 9mm. The -1 was basically SIG standardizing all 3 calibers on the 40/357 size frame.
I have a drop in Bar-sto 40/357 to 9 conversion barrel which has been accurate and reliable in multiple P229s.
I picked up a 9mm recoil spring but never needed it. Also for range purposes 40/357 mags feed 9mm just fine.
If this will be anything other than a range gun I would just get a new top end.
RTG parts had complete P229 9mm top ends with Romeo1PRO mounted for $550ish if you want to go all the way.
The original P229s in 9mm used a 9mm sized frame that used the 13 round P228 mags.
The P229-1 is basically a 9mm on a 40/357 frame with the -1 9mm mag having the exterior dimensions of the 40/357.
IME both -1 mags and the 13 round P228 mags will lock into and function in the 40/357 frames. Though I would only use the 13 rounders for range use in a 40/357 frame.
Speaking of, 40/357 mags will hold 14 rounds of 9mm and function fine in my 40/357 guns with my bar sto conversion barrel. You can still find Agrncy trade in mags fairly cheap.
I had a P229 in .357 for a minute last year. I kinda wish I’d kept it… but I honestly shot my P239 in .357 better. So… I ditched the 229, kept the 239. I even shot IDPA with it, because I had no other ammo. Shoots very accurately for me… though not exactly fast with follow up shots.
I feel like it’s a good hiking/woods gun. Not too big and heavy, but accurate and powerful. I’ve got some PPU stuff that definitely lives up to the “.357” cache. Or at least it feels like it does.
Last edited by MattyD380; 08-03-2021 at 07:04 PM.
Are you sure it says "M13" and not "MH3" ?
The number is not printed on the sight; it's engraved, either on the side of it, or on the flat on the front sight, looking down on the slide. Some of the older sights have it marked on the front side of the rear sight (my old folded slide 220 is marked this way)
Sig P229s in 357 Sig ship with #8 rears and #8 fronts; those in 40 ship with #6 fronts and #8 rears by default.
https://www.realgunreviews.com/sig-s...sight-numbers/
Bit of a twist in this saga. I have a buddy who is a memember here that graciously offered to trade me his p229 9mm for my p229 357, both around the same age. We worked out a trade as his is better condition and I'm off the races. Same modifications will be done but no conversion. I am super excited about this process and have lined up a rmr already. Let's get a color scheme post challenge going.. how should I have this gun refinished? I like Todd's p229 but if someone has a better idea that pays homage to the forum let me know
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